TRAIL DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT

Senate Bill 596 as passed by the Senate

Sponsor:  Sen. Goeff Hansen

House Committee:  Tourism and Outdoor Recreation

Senate Committee:  Outdoor Recreation and Tourism

Complete to 11-28-17

SUMMARY:

Senate Bill 596 would amend Part 721 (Michigan Trailways) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA) to allow for public trail amenities along Pure Michigan Trails and to make related changes regarding the management and development of trails in this state.

SB 596 would allow a Pure Michigan Trail to include park benches, signs, and connectors and access to rest areas, lodging, and eating facilities. The bill would declare these trail amenities—as well as support facilities already described in the act such as parking areas, sanitary facilities, and emergency telephones—to be public goods. (Pure Michigan Trails are designated by the director of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) under Section 72103, and must meet certain conditions prescribed by that section to be eligible for the designation.)

SB 596 would also allow trail operation and management agreements between government agencies or trail management councils and the DNR to include provisions regarding the construction, operation, and maintenance of such trail amenities as park benches, signs, and connectors and access to rest areas, lodging, and eating facilities. (A trail management council is an entity created by 2 or more government agencies to develop and manage a trail. Trail management councils are authorized under Section 72106 of NREPA and established pursuant to Urban Cooperation Act, MCL 124.501 et seq.)

SB 596 would authorize a trail management council to do the following:

·         Establish protocols for trail development and management that include guidance regarding trail safety and etiquette, a plan for providing transit-based access for trail users, signage, a historical and cultural interpretive plan, a maintenance cost-sharing formula, and, if appropriate, a plan for linking the trail to nearby water trails.

·         Provide a plan for trail users based on its review of the current and potential permitted uses of each trail and trail segment.

·         Hold 1 or more public hearings on the development and management of a trail.

SB 596 would also authorize the DNR to develop recommendations for local trail managers on researching and providing information, online or through signs, about the history, culture, or natural resources of the areas surrounding the trail.

The bill would take effect 90 days after being enacted.

MCL 324.72103, 324.72105, and 324.72106 and proposed MCL 324.72103a

FISCAL IMPACT:

Senate Bill 596 is unlikely to have a fiscal impact on the Department of Natural Resources or local units of government.

                                                                                        Legislative Analyst:   Rick Yuille

                                                                                                Fiscal Analyst:   Austin Scott

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.